Quote:
Originally Posted by estilley
I took a really great graduate economics course on global climate change policy last year.
I remember the "goal" set for price per ton of carbon was about $30. Ideally this cost would be internalized and the extra revenue from the tax used to go towards abatement management. The other big take away, was that without a large scientific breakthrough we're kind of toast. I really like the idea of taxing carbon and then exclusively using the revenue for R&D and efficiency improvements. It all starts with EVERYONE buying in. And that is definitely the hardest part as we live short, finite lives.
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The large scientific "breakthrough" is already here. It's called solar. It will kill the treehuggers to admit it--so they won't--but the businesses that spread propaganda about global warming because they did not want to finance speculation about an uncertain future will ultimately be proved right. Declining carbon emissions won't happen from the idiocy of freezing standards of living at 1990 levels but by technology making solar cheaper than digging fuel of of the ground.